Chr4, a Schizosaccharomyces pombe homologue of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Chs4p/Skt5p protein, is related to septum formation and is required for the proper localization of Chs2.

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Chs4p directly interacts with chitin synthase III (Chs3p) to act as a post-translational regulator of the Chs3p complex. We identified four Chs4p homologous proteins in Schizosaccharomyces pombe which we named Chr1, Chr2, Chr3 and Chr4 (putative chitin synthase regulatory factor). We assessed the functions of these proteins and found that while overproduction of Chr1, Chr2 or Chr3 did not affect the cellular morphology of wild-type Sz. pombe cells, overproduction of Chr4 caused the cells to form multi-septa and delayed their growth. All multiple disruptants of chr1, chr2, chr3 and chr4 grew normally under a variety of growth conditions. However, while chitin synthase II (Chs2) normally localizes exclusively at the septum, in many chr4-disrupted cells it was found in the cytoplasm and the septa. Chs2 did localize at the abnormal septa caused by the overproduction of chr4+. Chr4-13Myc expression was unaffected by the different media or growth conditions in both wild-type and the chs2 disruptant. Chs2 expression was also unaltered by the absence of Chr4. Moreover, Chr4-13Myc localized mostly at the tips and the septum during vegetative growth in chs2, chr1, chr2 and chr3 disruptants as well as in wild-type. Thus, chr4+ is involved in septum formation and is required for the proper localization of Chs2 at the septum in Sz. pombe.

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